League Champions at St. James's Park

Saturday, October 28th 1911.

SOUTHERN LEAGUE:
CITY V SWINDON

There was a time when Swindon used to regard Exeter City as a mere "chopping block". They beat them five times off the reel, and until 1910-11 it looked as though the Grecians were doomed to be the perpetual prey of the Railwaymen. Last season, however, changed all that. On Christmas Eve, at Swindon, at a time when the Reds were carrying all before them, Exeter City journeyed to the Wiltshire centre, and thanks to an early goal by Bell gained a sensational victory. Then in the last match of the season that victory was repeated, and the City finished the campaign as the only team which had twice defeated the Champions. Earlier this season the City also knocked Swindon out of the Southern Charity Cup by a margin of 2-nil, so that today the stage was set for a veritable battle royal, the one side hoping to score their fourth consecutive victory, and the other struggling to avenge three successive defeats. For today's match Exeter were unfortunately not at their full strength. Watson had been in training during the early part of the week, but on Thursday his old thigh weakness re asserted itself, and he was obliged therefore to stand down. Cornan was thus requisitioned for inside-left, while Lockett crossed over to Watson's position at inside-right. Whittaker was still nursing his broken finger, and Chapman continued in goal, the eleven consequently being the same as that which lost at Bristol, save that Pratt, following his week's suspension, resumed at centre-half, Rigby standing down. Swindon, on the other hand, were absolutely at full strength. Jock Walker, the Scottish International, came back to the team after a recent injury, while Silto was at left-half again, and Wheat croft led the attack. On the ground this afternoon it was announced that the City would have to make one further change. Evans, who has been suffering from boils on his knee, was replaced by Fort.
CITY:- Chapman Fort Coates Bassett Pratt Griffiths Parnell Lockett Rutter Cornan Garside
Referee:- Mr P.F.Pfaff, of London.
Lamb Bown Wheat croft Fleming Jefferson Silto Bannister Tout
Walker Kay Skiller
SWINDON
The afternoon was cold and bright, and the heavy rains of yesterday had completely soaked into the turf, which, last night, was practically under water. A start was made before 3.30, and the flower-pot stand was then rapidly filling up. Garside beat Bannister with the toss, and Swindon kicked off facing the sun but with the wind behind them. The visitors quickly attacked, and Fort cleared. Silto got the ball to midfield, and Bown gave Lamb a nice pass, which the winger failed to hold. The leather eventually went to Walker, who sent behind. The City forwards got moving, and Cornan transferred to Garside, but crippled himself in doing so. Kay and Walker made good clearances, and Coates got to the ball just in time at the other end with Fleming bearing down upon him. Jefferson then beat Coates but could not get round Griffiths. Cornan slung the ball towards Skiller, and Walker could only partially clear, the leather going to Parnell, who swept it across goal. The Swindon defence was all out of position, and Rutter, although stumbling over the sphere the first time, regained possession and easily beat Skiller for the first goal. Exeter looked like increasing their lead, but the Swindon defence quickly settled down, and Walker ran through nearly all the opposition in a brilliant dribble, and started his forwards going, Wheat croft finally being stopped by Coates almost on the goal-line.
Fleming's Goals.
Garside was forced by Kay into shooting wide after a run of about half the length of the field, and then Fleming gave Lamb a chance, which he skied clean over the bar. The next minute, however, Fleming went through on his own after charging Pratt over. He swerved past both the backs and beat Chapman with a fearsome looking shot for the equaliser. It was a spectacular goal, and a genuine touch of class by the International. Exeter took up the running again, but were foiled, and the Railwaymen rapidly made headway. The home defence got itself into a nasty tangle until Fleming swung round and shot wide. Lockett damaged his hand, and a halt was called, but no sooner had he resumed than Fleming gave Swindon the lead, by driving the ball home again from a clever centre almost on the City goal-line by Lamb. Chapman fell for the ball at Fleming shot, but it rolled over his arm and into the net.
A Great Disappointment.
Swindon were now playing their best football, and Jefferson shot wide after beating three men, while Fleming drove just over the bar. Pratt then made a bad miss, and the home backs, in clearing, saw the ball charged down by Wheat croft. It went out to Bown, who caught Chapman undecided whether or not to come out, and the Swindon forward made no mistake with a great drive which shook the rigging. This third goal was indeed a big disappointment to the crowd, especially as the City had started so well. Skiller fielded a fine centre by Garside, and Jefferson and Griffiths got at loggerheads, the Swindon man being spoken to by the referee. The game was still very fast, and Fort made a good tackle on Bown, but Lamb gained possession and put the ball over the bar. A free kick was given against Griffiths for a foul on Jefferson, and a little bad feeling was beginning to creep into the play. Skiller again saved well from Garside, and after Walker had cleared a free kick was given against Silto. It was taken by Bassett, who lobbed it in towards goal, Cornan being just too late to turn it to account. The interval arrived with Swindon leading by three goals to one. The light was none too good when the game restarted. For a minute or so Exeter had the best of things, but Swindon were not long in finding weaknesses in the home defence, mostly in the half-back line. Jefferson drove in a lovely shot, which hit the far post and rebounded outside. But a few minutes later, in a stiff Swindon attack, Lamb centred to Wheatcroft, who, absolutely unmarked, netted the fourth goal amid the glum silence of the crowd. The game was now surely as good as over.
Good Effort by Cornan. 
The Exeter forwards could do little or nothing right, and on one occasion Rutter overstepped the ball when he had an easy chance, close to goal. Lockett made a brave attempt to get through but was checked by Walker about ten yards out. The best effort was made by Cornan, who swept up a long pass from Parnell and shot from 25 yards, missing by inches only. Apart from the goals it was the best shot of the match. Rutter was injured in trying to get to a long through pass from Pratt, but resumed after a few minutes, and then fired a yard or so wide, collecting a long plunge from Fort. Cornan was also off the mark from Garside's centre, and Skiller saved at full length from Rutter, and later from Lockett. Exeter were playing up much better, but could not break the Town defence. Skiller was penalised for carrying, but the free kick was nullified on the grounds of offside. Swindon, after this lengthy spell of Exeter pressure, took up the running again, and Bown was conspicuous with his clever passing, dribbling, and the engineering of attacks. Lamb and Jefferson were both pulled up for offside from one of Bown's quick transfers, and in another move Coates cleared in the goalmouth from Fleming. Skiller fielded a fast centre from Garside, the Exeter skipper then ran through but lost the ball to Kay, while Bassett made a timely clearance at the other end and in the last move of the match Chapman ran out and punched clear from Jefferson.
Result:
SWINDON TOWN 4-1 EXETER CITY
Last season: Exeter 2 Swindon 1.
In 1909-10: Swindon 1 Exeter 0.

When Rutter opened the scoring early in the game, things looked rosy for the Grecians, but they had reckoned without Harold Fleming. The famous English International came through with one of his inimitable dribbles, and after brushing past Pratt and beating several defenders he fired in a drive of the "cannonball" variety that left Chapman powerless. Another goal from the same player followed very shortly, then a third before half-time, and that was virtually the end of Exeter, whose play deteriorated as the game went on, apart from a brief spell at the midway point of the second half. With four goals against them the City appeared to be all at sea, but in that period which followed the last goal, there were occasions when the Swindon goal was only saved from its downfall by the excellence of Skiller, who brought off two brilliant saves from Lockett and Rutter, and a beautiful shot by Cornan was only inches wide. Swindon are a clever side, and on this occasion they gave Exeter a lesson in the art of constructive football. One of the principal reasons for their greatness is undoubtedly due to the manner in which the half-backs and forwards, with Bown mostly the "brains" of the attack, dovetail into each others' play.

PLYMOUTH LEAGUE.
Millbrook v City Reserves 
Millbrook Rangers beat Exeter City Reserves by two goals to one, at Anderton. Gosling and Pym, through his own goal, were Millbrook's scorers. Exeter's goal was obtained in the second half.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST, 1911.
Friendly:-
Portsmouth 2 Exeter City 1.
This friendly match at Exeter yielded some interesting football, but another defeat for the City. Portsmouth did all the pressing in the first half, but could only score Cullen putting the ball through from a pass by Reid. After crossing over Jones put Pompey two up, but in a closing rally Lockett reduced the City's arrears.
CITY: Chapman; Fort, Tyson; Rigby, Pratt, Clarke; E. Whittaker, Lockett, Rutter, Taylor, Griffiths.
POMPEY: Little; Warner, Croft; Hurst, Wardrope, Hayes; Dowling, Stringfellow, Cullen, Reid, Jones.